Robin's Nesting Spot

I Hate Zombie Dreams!

2009-08-19T16:34:00.002-05:00

Yes, I really do hate them. I don't have them a lot but often enough that it bothers me. I hate how in vivid color and detail, no matter what I do, the dead fuckers keep coming after me. And sometimes, just to make it that much more of a nightmare, they go after my family.

And I am not watching zombie movies or reading zombie stories when I have these dreams.

On a Sunday, not too long ago, I needed to take a nap. Only it ended up being a less than restful one. It started with repeated lucid dreaming, then I was awoken by crazy cat play. Drifting back to sleep, I was hit with the zombie dream.

- It was a beautiful sunny day. The house had vining flowers growing up and over it and a lush yard. I step outside and, wham, there it is, reaching for me. I'm not sure if it was male or female, but I think female. And it wasn't one of those grotesque rotting flesh zombies - it looked human, but acted zombie. I took a club/bat to it, beating the crap out of it, but it kept coming. For some unknown reason, there was a huge, person-size, pot of boiling water in the yard. And, yep, I managed to get the zombie crammed into that pot and held it under as long as I could. Still it kept coming after me, looking horrid now and falling apart. I managed to start a large fire and after partially severing its head with a large axe, threw in not only the zombie but the pot of icky zombie water. I knew I had to evaporate away all that zombie water or it could cause more zombie problems. -

Shortly thereafter I woke up, feeling dazed and even worse than before the nap. And I think that's understandable after such a horrid dream.

Out of curiosity I went online and searched dream dictionaries. The first was http://www.dreammoods.com

- To dream that you are attacked by zombies, indicates that you are feeling overwhelmed by forces beyond your control. You are under tremendous stress in your waking life.-

Okay, yeah, that could be it. But I do take comfort in the fact that I beat the shit out of and then defeated it. :)

Other definitions I found were similar.

So now you know that if you dream about being attacked by zombies, and you haven't recently seen movies or read books with zombies, you're life is really stressing you out. Most of the time I am painfully aware of how overwhelmed I am; I really don't need the zombie dreams to point this out o_0

*hugs*
Robin

2009-04-07T15:54:00.001-05:00

Your result for True Colors Test - A Self Inventory...

NT - Scholar (Green)

Congratulations! You are the SCHOLAR.

First, the bad news. On any given bad day you're most likely to be perceived as cold, arrogant, know-it-all. At times you are closed off and independent, seemingly absentminded, and have probably been told that you've got your head in the clouds. You get lost in thought easily, and sometimes you leave people back on Earth when you go off on a reverie. All of this means that you can come off as aloof and unappreciative of other peoples opinions. You know better, you're probably just smarter than them.

Now that we've got that out of the way, on to the good news. You are a critical thinker and an innovator. A lifetime learner, your passion and thirst for knowledge will entertain you throughout your lifetime. You are the "ideas" person that people come to for solutions. To hell with implementing the ideas, you'll leave that for someone else to figure out. In the meantime, you're probably always eager to share solutions and wisdom with those who seek it. You're good at being alone, and probably need alone time periodically to recharge and just be in your head. You're a visionary, mentally tough, analytical and capable of meting out judgment. You are highly knowledgeable and people seek that out in you. Try not to let that get to your head.

Scholar Traits:

Visionary

Conscientious

Calm and patient

Sees the big picture

Serious

Competent

Inquisitive

Meticulous

Innovative

Insightful and intellectual

Adaptable

Can never know enough

Take True Colors Test - A Self Inventory at HelloQuizzy

2009-03-31T21:56:00.002-05:00

Thought I'd share a couple of my favorite FREE websites.

Paperback Swap ~~ http://www.paperbackswap.com

Sign up on this site, post 9 books you want to give away, and start earning credits to receive books you've requested from others on the site. There is no expense to join ~~ the only cost is in mailing the books that others have requested from you. I use media mail and have paid less than $3 for each book. Considering the average paperback is now about $7, I'm saving more than 1/2 the cost of buying a new one.
There are 2 sister sites as well, for swapping CDs and DVDs.

Check it out ~~ they explain it much better than I do.

SparkPeople ~~ http://www.sparkpeople.com

There is no way I can do this site justice, just go check it out. Make sure you check out the video about the founder. He took the money he made in dot.com and used it to create this site to 'spark' people into living healthier lives. It's geared primarily to diet and exercise, but has all sorts of groups, message boards, blogs, challenges, articles, wellness information, etc.

One of the fun things about this site is earning points. Just about everything you do earns you points ~~ for me it is an incentive to watch my point totals go up, and my trophies to change.

(only problem with the emails ~~ my eyes tend to turn the 'r' in spark to an 'n', just for a moment, but it's enough for a double-take when I'm checking my emails *grin*)

Reading Signs

2009-03-25T17:42:00.002-05:00

This is just so sweet. It is long (12 minutes), but hang in there 'til the end.

I am Persephone

2009-03-17T11:32:00.001-05:00

Your result for The New Greek Goddess Archetype Test...

You are Persephone!

The Goddess of Spring and Queen of the Underworld

Persephone represents change and transformation - a chameleon who can be whatever someone wants her to be. Out of all types, she is the most dependent on her parents or her lover and tends to need these relationships to feel safe. However, she usually undergoes a period of psychological distress at some point, which opens her up to be more independent, assertive, and enables her to inspire transformations in other people as well.

Take The New Greek Goddess Archetype Test at HelloQuizzy

2009-02-26T21:16:00.002-06:00

So, back from vacation. Didn't really diet or exercise while gone. The ship was seriously lacking in the foodstuffs I was wanting/needing to stick closely to my planned diet, and with all the walking ~ everywhere ~ ; and the general lack of sleep ~ stuffy, uncomfortable cabin ~; I just could not work up the enthusiasm to head to the stuffy, crowded gym that didn't even have cardio equipment I could easily use...

Now having said all that ~~ all the walking means I didn't damage my weight loss plans too badly. I haven't really weighed myself, wanting to give myself a week home to readjust, so I don't really know how bad the damage is, scale-wise, but my clothes really don't seem tight and my oldest commented that I did look thinner... So, well, we'll see.

2009-01-25T14:40:00.001-06:00

2009-01-23T09:42:00.000-06:00

Your result for The Lover Style Profile Test...

The Exotic Lover

50% partner focus, 10% aggressiveness, 60% adventurousness

Based on the results of this test, it is highly likely that:

You prefer your romance and love to wild and daring rather than typical or boring, you would rather be pursued than do the pursuing and, when it comes to physical love, you concentrate more on enjoying the experience rather than worrying about your performance.

This places you in the Lover Style of: The Exotic Lover.

The Exotic Lover is a wonderful Lover Style, and conjures images of the exotic, romantic hero out of a romance novel, or perhaps a slightly dangerous and deadly sexy femme fatale from a noir mystery. The Exotic Lover loves pleasure and is a treasure to date, though it can be difficult to do so because they sometimes tend to be mysterious and reluctant to commit.

In terms of physical love, the Exotic Lover can be quite surprising, as they are often more exciting and adventurous than predicted. Given a little freedom, and the right lover, the Exotic Lover can be a delight in bed.

Best Compatibility can probably be found with: The Liberated Lover (most of all) or the Devoted Lover, or the Romantic Lover.

Congratulations!

Take The Lover Style Profile Test at HelloQuizzy

The Chakra Test

2009-01-22T21:30:00.000-06:00

Your result for The Chakra Test...

The Visionary

You have scored 100% Imagination - Your dominant Chakra is the "Third Eye or Indigo Chakra"

The "Third Eye or Indigo Chakra" is where our intuitive and visionary energy comes from. It is located on one's forehead. And this is the chakra most developed in you at this time.

Depending on your percentage score, there is always more room for development. When this chakra is under-active, one's may not think clearly, become confused and begin to rely on authoritarian figures. If over-active and out of balance with your other chakras, you may be prone to fantasy. You may even begin to see and believe in things that are not there.

What is most important is to find balance amongst all 7 chakras. Have a look at what percentages you scored on the others and work to increase their power and balance with each other.

Root Chakra: 18% Passion, Sacral(Spleen) Chakra: 94% Desire, Solar Plexus (Navel) Chakra: 59% Purpose, Heart Chakra: 67% Balance, Throat Chakra: 89% Expression, Third Eye Chakra: 100% Imagination and Crown Chakra: 100% Spirituality!

"Third Eye Chakra" Key Words: Intuition, Invention, Psychic Abilities, Self Realization, Perception, Release, Understanding, Memory, Fearlessness

"Third Eye Chakra"Attributes: Color - Indigo Sense - Sixth sense, Higher mind Element - Time Seat -Primordial Power

If you enjoyed this test, I would love the feedback!

Take The Chakra Test at HelloQuizzy

What Color Green Am I?

2009-01-14T10:49:00.000-06:00

You Are Grass Green

Down to earth and a bit of a hippie, you are very into nature and the outdoors.

You accept the world and people as they are. You don't try to change things.

You are also very comfortable with yourself, flaws and all.

Optimistic about the future, you feel like life is always getting better.

What Color Green Are You?

Diet Update

2009-01-13T21:46:00.003-06:00

I finished the Jumpstart & Monday morning I had lost 4 pounds & 1 inch around my waist.

Woo hoo!

It's not really a visible change ~ yet. But I can feel the difference.

Ok, *deep calming breathe* I'm being brave here... Jan 1 I weighed a little over 250 lbs. Yesterday morning I was 244. For me that is huge, and super motivating. And today, for the first time in I don't know how long, I stepped on the scale at the gym, fully clothed with my tennies on, and I didn't have to move the bottom weight to the 250 mark. Oh. My. Goodness. Fully dressed, w/ shoes, and having eaten 3 meals & I was still below 250 (I'm always higher at the end of the day).

It is so amazing to see a positive change almost everyday.

Now to just keep it going.

2009-01-07T22:57:00.003-06:00

It's that time again. Diet time. Ok, I really prefer to call it something like Health & Fitness Improvement... I have really got to get some of these excess weight off. To be at my 'ideal' weight, I need to lose about 100 pounds. Right now I'd be happy to see a steady loss of 5 to 10 pounds a month.

I'm trying the Flat Belly Diet by Prevention. I chose it because it allows really good things like nuts, and olive oil, and avocados, and dark chocolate. They call them MUFA's ~~ which, for the life of me, I can't remember what that stands for *shaking head in disbelief*. Something about healthy unsaturated fats ~~ and you have to have some with every single meal & snack. I'm hoping I won't feel too deprived.

I start tomorrow with breakfast. There's a 4 day jumpstart, then a 28 day program, which you keep repeating as long as you need to.

I think the main challenges are going to be:

Making sure I eat every four hours
Making sure I get everything for breakfast, lunch & snack prepared the night before
Dinner at home with family
Weekends, when my schedule is not structured at all

I've been going to the gym regularly the past few weeks ~~ at least 2 times a week for at least an hour each time. I've been doing mainly cardio work ~~ at least 1/2 hour on the elliptical & another 1/2 hour or so on the rowing machine. I really like the rowing machine ~~ a nice full body work out, cardio with strength/toning. Between the two, I do feel it the next day, in a good way. And according to my heart monitor, I'm getting & keeping my heart rate in the proper zone while exercising & burning massive amounts of calories. I really need to add at least one more day, ideally two, to get the best results. Looking at the Yoga, Pilates & Aquaerobics classes at the gym, but right now they are filled to overflowing. I'm hoping they empty out in the next month or so.

And I'm hoping some exercise & weight lost will help with my back pain. My right hip has been very painful lately... I've been to the chiropractor & it's helping, plus I am constantly doing pelvic tilts, hamstring stretches & such to try and make it better.

There is exactly one month 'til our vacation, and I'd really like to be a little bit lighter, thinner, firmer.

Wish me luck :)

2008-12-22T21:09:00.002-06:00

Tomorrow my boy turns 14. I can't believe he's that old (or that I'm this old LOL).

Last week, MC wanted to talk to us (DH and me) in private. It was so cute. He likes a girl, but he wanted our permission before he asked her to go steady. Is that just too sweet? He has paid attention all those times we've said x years old is too young, etc.

DH and I discussed it with each other, and with him. And we gave our approval. DH was a little weirded out by it -- in the culture in which he was raised, teens do not 'go steady', there is no dating, hand holding, etc. But I told DH that we were lucky MC wanted our permission. I know I never asked my parents if I could go steady and they only ever got to know boyfriends when I was old enough to actually go out on dates.

We'll see what happens. I know he's liked this girl for some time and has spent time with her when large groups of friends get together. This just makes it official that they are a couple and takes her off the market :)

Of course, MC doesn't want us telling his sisters... doesn't want them to tease him. Yeah, right, that's what siblings do. Oh, the fun to be had... :D

I am Rain

2008-12-21T20:14:00.002-06:00

I like this -- especially the part about bringing out the beauty around me. And a dominant state of 'changing'. Yep, that's me, if nothing else I am very mutable.

You Are Rain

You can be warm and sexy. Or cold and unwelcoming.

Either way, you slowly bring out the beauty around you.

You are best known for: your touch

Your dominant state: changing

What Type of Weather Are You?

Missy Higgins -- Where I Stood

2008-12-19T12:02:00.004-06:00

This song just gets to me -- not that I'm breaking up with DH or anything, but if I were to imagine it, or when I think about people I know who's relationships are ending, not in anger, but just because they've run their course, this song seems to speak to that.

Lyrics | Missy Higgins lyrics - Where I Stood lyrics

Here's another video -- I like this version better

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus

2008-12-17T21:01:00.004-06:00

YC and I were watching the Muppets Christmas special, when Macy's holiday commercial came on , the one where they paraphrase the editorial 'Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus.' YC asked a question and I pulled up the letter onlline and shared it with her.

It's so beautifully written -- it's no wonder why it still resonates so strongly today as it did over 100 years ago.

Eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York's Sun, and the quick response was printed as an unsigned editorial Sept. 21, 1897. The work of veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church has since become history's most reprinted newspaper editorial, appearing in part or whole in dozens of languages in books, movies, and other editorials, and on posters and stamps.

"DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.
"Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
"Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.'
"Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?
"VIRGINIA O'HANLON.
"115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET."

VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

***************************************************************************

I was getting teary eyed reading it to YC. I think she liked it.

Wednesday Weirdness #34

2008-12-17T14:12:00.003-06:00

1. What is the one sexual act you would never do? Anything having to do with pooh. Ick. Other than that, not so sure -- haven't been asked to do anything that I've said no to... but I also haven't been asked to do a lot :P

2. Is there anyone you know, that if they turned out to be a serial killer you would not be surprised? No, can't think of anyone.

3. What is the most annoying thing about the holiday season for you? The madness of shopping and the incessant playing of the same holiday songs/music over and over and over and...

4. If you saw a video of your celebrity crush picking their nose, would that change your opinion of their hotness? Maybe. Depends on how seriously they were doing it. More likely I'd just add it to my proof that they're human list.

5. What is the one non-sexual thing you would be embarrassed to be caught doing? Unavoidably passing noxious gas in public.

6. A favorite blogger friend wrote a column about the one word that really turns her on. Do you have a word or phrase that does the same for you? What is it? There a few, dependent upon the circumstances: 'get into position', 'I'm the boss', 'I love this ass'

7. As someone who ran a virtual cookie exchange, I have to ask what your favorite cookie is? Oatmeal raisin chocolate chip

I think I'm losing it

2008-12-02T22:36:00.004-06:00

Or, to be more exact, 'things'.

I'm thinking we have pixies, or imps, or gremlins. Some sort of invisible being, of the mischievous faerie, that likes to torment me by taking my things.

It's driving me nuts.

Started back in late March/early April when my cell phone charger disappeared. One day it was plugged into the wall in my bedroom and the very next it was gone. And it has never shown up -- and believe me I've been through drawers, cupboards, boxes... And since my phone is different than DH's or the kids, they'd have no reason to 'borrow' it. So it's a mystery.

Then a few months ago I realized a book and card set was missing. Again, I've looked everywhere, even cleaning out my bedroom closet and some storage cupboards, organizing in the process. I can't think of anywhere else to look. There are very few places where I would put a book -- anywhere in my bedroom, including my closet and the attached office, or in one of my tote bags. I've checked them all, multiple times.

Then tonight, I wanted to take a picture of the moon, but I don't have much luck when taking night time pictures. So I wanted to pull out my how to book for my camera and see what it had to say about low light/no light photos. But I can't find the book anywhere. Nor can I find any of the photography magazines I have either. Again, I'm the only one with this specific type of camera, the only one with access to the camera, so there is no reason anyone else would take the book and magazines. I've looked under the bed, through my closet, in the cupboards, in the office and I can't find it.

I'm irritated and frustrated. I can't afford to replace the books right now (damn mandatory unpaid furlough that has reduced my take home pay by 15%).

Friday when I'm home alone, I think I'll do some snooping in the kids rooms -- although, why they would take any of these things is beyond me...

Now, to push this issue out of my mind so I can get to sleep.

2008-10-27T21:28:00.002-05:00

I stopped at Costco on the way home and couldn't help but notice all the little boys -- I'd guess 4 to 6 years old. They couldn't stay still or quiet, whether they were riding in carts or walking with their parents.
I remember when my "little" boy was like that -- and in so many ways still is.
But...
My little boy is now taller than I am. His voice has deepened, his shoulders broadened. The dressy clothes we bought at the end of April, for our family vacation, no longer fit -- pant legs and shirt sleeves are at least 4 inches too short now. Even with slightly long hair, I cannot mistake him for a girl in the swimming pool.
He will be 14 in December.
He's no longer a little boy, but a young man.

I miss my little mama's boy. The one who insisted on crawling into bed with me every night; at least until I was too pregnant with his younger sister. The one who wouldn't go to Sunday School unless I stayed with him -- at first right next to him, then the row behind, then the back of the room. He always checked to make sure I was still there.

He's a smart aleck, with a quirky sense of humor (like his mom). We like a lot of the same things (peanut butter m&ms, fantasy and scifi, silly jokes). He can be such a nut :D

He can also be seriously cruel to his little sister. And I don't get it. All his friends parents tell us what a wonderful young man he is, so polite and considerate and helpful. Except where his little sister is concerned. I keep hoping that he'll outgrow this...

No matter how much bigger than me he gets, no matter how deep his voice becomes, he will allows be my little boy.

iGoogle

2008-10-17T12:27:00.001-05:00

Don't know if anyone out there also uses iGoogle, but they just made same layout changes that really suck. Tabs used to be on the top -- now they're on the left side, totally screwing up my gadgets. And it's not an option, they're just there.

If you use iGoogle and are also unhappy with the changes, a petition has been started and can be accessed here http://www.petitiononline.com/igoogle/petition.html
Can't be certain Google will pay attention, but I would think that the more people who complain, the more likely they are to pay heed and hopefully make the requested changes.

Just for the record...

2008-10-02T13:17:00.001-05:00

I hate squats. Really hate them.

With the new gym membership there was a free evaluation. During said evaluation, I was asked to do 2 sets of 15 squats, no weights. Had to work at it, but got them done, none the worse for wear -- or so I thought.

Tuesday I felt fine until late morning, when I started to feel some stiffness and soreness in my thighs. It got worse as the day went on, 'til it was painful to stand, walk, or lower myself to sitting (stairs and bathroom the worst).

And now it's Thursday, and while slightly better, I am still sore and walking with an odd gait.

So, I repeat, I HATE SQUATS!!!!

On the bright side, I have been getting to the gym, doing cardio only right now (gotta wait for the thighs to heal). An hour on the treadmill Thursday and Friday last week. Then Monday a half hour. Tuesday was end of month so I didn't leave work until almost 7 -- too late to hit the gym. And last night, pain and all, another hour on the treadmill. Walking actually helps with the stiffness and pain, and I don't feel like I overdid it. I started using a pedometer and my Polar fitness monitor yesterday. Almost hit 10,000 steps (9562) and kept my heart in the target range during the exercising.

Plan to go again today. I'm really trying hard to get my work schedule back under control. There is no way I can work the gym and family in together if I keep working long ridiculous hours at work.

I keep repeating to myself -- I can do this, I can do this...
:)

Back to the Gym

2008-09-25T09:52:00.001-05:00

Well, it has happened...

DH took me to a gym and had me sign up for a membership. It's been a couple of years I think since I've actually been to a gym. I've worked out at home, sporadically, so I haven't been a complete slug.

But, it's been a crazy year, what with the emotional upheaval in February/March, the vacation in May and then all the extra long and stressful work days starting in June, that my exercise routine up and died.

And while I haven't packed on the pounds, I have lost what little toning and definition I did have -- and DH keeps commenting on it...

So, back to the gym I go, starting tonight. I'll get some baseline measurements taken and do a little working out.

Added incentive -- I'm meeting my sibs in 6 weeks for a long weekend and I'd like to be a little slimmer when I see them (it's been 2 years). Plus DH has promised some special rewards for weight lost and kept off :D

Wish me luck ;)

Testing...

2008-09-15T20:37:00.001-05:00

1 2 3
Just testing to see if this Blogger publishing tool really works....

Rain, Rain, Go Away....

2008-09-14T22:34:00.006-05:00

... and it finally did, after 3 days.

But not before leading to some flooding. Nowhere near what Ike did down south, but exciting for us nevertheless. We've lived here for 6 years now and never seen anything like this. Usually storms blow in, dump some rain, then blow right out. This was pretty darn near constant rain, from mere misting to incredible downpour, since Friday morning.

Here's a local park, just down the road from our house. Normally it's wide fields, commonly used for sports activities and picnics. As you can see, we weren't the only ones out checking the river.

Later, we went to downtown. Unfortunately it was getting dark, so most of the pictures didn't come out too well, but here are a couple of one the many bridges in downtown. The river runs right through the middle of town and usually there's a lovely walkway on either side and several feet of clearance between the river and the bottom of the bridges -- not today.

There were hundreds of people out this evening checking out the river. There were barriers and warning tape everywhere -- and most of it was ignored (we ignored some, too).

And to top it off, whoever programmed the carillon this evening had a sense of humor. The first 3 songs, in order, were:

Raindrops keep fallin' on my head
Old Man River
Somewhere over the rainbow

It was too funny. Especially since I don't think I've ever actually been downtown before when the carillon is playing.

When I was growing up, we did the same thing -- checking out the flooding when the rivers flooded, as soon as it was safe checking out the fire damage from forest fires, when Mt. St. Helens blew we didn't stay home but headed out to the basin where there was more ashfall. We were always completely safe, but in awe of mother nature. I guess I've instilled that in my children now.

I am incredibly glad the rain has stopped. It wouldn't have taken too much more to cause some real damage in the area.

Crazy life

2008-09-13T21:26:00.003-05:00

I haven't been posting here much, not because my brain has gone dead and I have nothing to talk about, just that work has been so crazy, with no end in sight, that after spending 9-10 hours working on the computer, it's hard to drag up any enthusiasm to log more time, even in personal pursuits.

I've taken hundreds of pictures since getting the new camera in April, but even that has fallen to the side -- no new pics since August 20th (that's when I took the pic of the butterfly). And I haven't managed to edit anything to make them postable.

\ (my cat just attacked my keyboard). He's going a little stir crazy -- 2 days of almost constant rain have kept him holed up inside.

Ugh. some I'm just too exhausted to do much of anything, besides work, eat, watch TV and sleep. Did cook with DH today, brunch and dinner. Tomorrow is groceries and laundry, plus I need to vacuum our bedroom. Haven't even been doing a lot of reading... Exciting.

Set myself up with Google reader. Allows me to take little breaks to keep up with who's posting what without actually going to the blogs. It's a nice tool.

It's late and I need to shower before bed... too icky to even sleep with myself LOL.

The Trouble with Charlie

2008-09-06T00:09:00.004-05:00

This is my cat, Charlie. I am a cat person (so are the kids), my husband is a dog person... but guess who chose the cat. Yep, my husband. Guess who has to take care of the cat and spend money on the cat. Right again -- me.

He is a beautiful cat, half Siamese and half orange tabby, long haired with blue eyes. The cream coat with the orange points is gorgeous. Very loving, sometime excessively so. A wonderful pet...

Except for one thing...

Long hair snarls, knots, mats horribly. Last summer we had him shaved. This summer I should have, but money being especially tight, it didn't happen. So now every chance I get, I go at him with scissors and comb. I've gotten him knot free back to just behind his front legs. He's patient for only a very short while every few days so this is an extremely long, drawn out process.

Charlie is the first long haired cat I've had. And beautiful as he looks, I don't think I'll ever choose to have a long haired ever again -- unless I'm unemployed and can spend plenty of time every day to groom it.

OMG! I am such a retard!

2008-07-28T19:11:00.004-05:00

I was on the computer too long, too late yesterday and stupidly decided it would be a good idea to play with my template.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Don't know if you noticed -- if you even care... My nice lists of TV shows and authors are gone... deleted.... I still can't believe I did this.... And I don't have time to fix it right now, or any time soon.

Someday, when the crisis at work is over, and I'm all caught up with the backlog, I'll be able to fix this, but in the meantime...

Happy 4th of July!!

2008-07-04T11:21:00.004-05:00

Happy 4th, everyone.

We're planning on going to the local festival -- food, music, fun, and fireworks.

I make sure that I take time every 4th to remember why we're celebrating -- the brave men and women who stood up, at risk of death, against a tyrannical government. I have ancestors who lived in the colonies and I know at least some of them were Revolutionaries. Capt. Pendleton was in the 1st Virginia Artillery, and for his efforts in the War was granted land in Kentucky.

Ancestors came here for different reasons, starting in the 1600s through the early 1900s -- forced as punishment by the British government, for business, to escape brutal conditions in their homeland, just because it was America and they could...

My husband is a first generation American, having come here for education and opportunity, and staying to start a family and get his citizenship.

Through family history research, I have watched as they moved westward (of course, now I'm heading back the other way). One ancestor kenw Wild Bill Hickok, searched for gold, and was quite a rabble-rouser (spent a fair amount of time in jail for drinking and fighting). Most lived quietly, raising families.

So, while I enjoy travelling and seeing other countries and cultures, and admit that there are things I'd like to changed here, America is a pretty wonderful place to live -- still the land of opportunity and hope.

Stuck in my head

2008-06-08T16:14:00.002-05:00

Ever get a song stuck in your head? Or just have the odd bit of music pop into your thoughts?

For some reason I generally have "Favorite Things" and "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head" running through my mind, at totally random times, for no apparent reason.

Since "Favorite Things" starts with "Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens" rain is definitely a connection between the two songs...

But still, I'm not thinking about rain, wanting it to start or stop, and one or the other just starts up. They're not on my iTunes or iPod so I'm not hearing them there and recalling them later. They're not played on the radion stations I listen to in the car or on any CDs I own. So why? A little disconcerting...

Nature's Beauty

2008-05-30T09:41:00.009-05:00

I have a deep abiding love, appreciation and respect for nature. All my life I've lived in places full of natural beauty. My grandparents had a ranch in California and I would either walk it or ride horseback around it, enjoying the oaks, the sage, the tumbleweeds, wildflowers, creeks, dams, redtail hawks, prairie dogs, etc. As a family it was not uncommon for us to get in the car and just drive, taking new roads, exploring new sites. We would see wildlife, find giant pinecones, fossils, ruins, etc. When we moved to Washington, there were new areas to explore and we did. It was somewhat of a tradition that after church on Sunday's we would get in the car and drive. And we lived in an area of much beauty -- mountains, rivers, waterfalls, lakes, etc. We'd often go camping in the summer, even if only for a weekend. And it was only a few hours drive to the ocean...

With all this beauty, I also gained a healthy respect for the power of nature. We lived on the river and it flooded. We got ash when Mt. St. Helen's erupted. We had to evacuate from a major forest fire. We felt small earthquakes. And while we didn't have tornados, and even winds were fairly rare in our protected mountain valley, when they did happen they were usually strong and destructive. Snow in winter, heat in summer. Electrical storms -- I can remember standing on the front porch and watching storms over the north end of the valley, then going through the house to the back door and watching a separate storm over the south end. And reporting the occasionally lightning strike to the forest service (saw the flames start). When the river flooded and when the volcano erupted, did we stay home waiting for it to end? Nope. We got in the car and drove to check things out -- we were never in danger. To this day, one of my brothers will call me when something major is happening. Just to share :)

Until 6 years ago I always lived within a few hours of ocean and/or mountains, usually both. Here, there are no mountains and there is no ocean (and I dearly miss them), but that doesn't mean there isn't incredible beauty to be found.

And the weather here would never be described as sedate. There aren't volcanoes and the rivers are pretty quiet, but wind and electrical storms abound spring, summer, fall with plenty of cold and snow and ice in the winter.

There are protected forests and rolling prairies -- I drive through/past them everyday. I've seen deer, coyotes, foxes, falcons/hawks (can't tell for sure), pheasants, skunks, beaver, squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks, raccoons, opossums, mice, voles, turkeys. I've heard an owl -- outside my bedroom window at 2 am (whoo whoo, whoo whoo, whoo whoo). When I wasn't employed, I spent a lot of time bird watching -- woodpeckers, robins, grackles, starlings, meadowlarks, finches, cardinals, nuthatches, jays, bluebirds, egrets, herons, geese, ducks, and others I can't identify. Oooh, and fireflies. They are so cool.

There is plenty of plant life, and even in the middle of winter, there is still some greenery to be found. I like it in late summer when entire fields are white with Queen Anne's Lace. And in the fall when the prairie grasses turn rust and gold.

Truly a beautiful place to live and exciting place to live.

#@#$#@^$@#$^ TAXES!!!!!

2008-04-14T22:07:00.003-05:00

I hate taxes!!!

I state this as I sit here, after 10pm, on the phone with DH, who is in Mexico, trying to figure this all out.

And I know you're saying, "Well, you shouldn't have left it to the last minute."

In our defense, DH had everything ready mid-February -- it was my brother who didn't get the final paperwork to us. Our taxes are not simple.

It started with my grandfather who set up FLPs and trusts; these passed down to my dad and uncle. Then when Dad died, it passed onto my sibs and me. And they are such a hassle. So we don't just do the Federal 1040, but have to do a bunch of other forms, and in multiple states.

And this year we didn't get the paperwork till today. Most of it we got Saturday, but the accountant forgot one set of documents. And DH had filed on Saturday based on those docs, so now we have to do an amendment. And to make things worse, we now owe the IRS, instead of getting the refund we were expecting.

Hard to know who to blame for the tardy docs. DH wants to blame my brother. But my brother blames our uncle and the accountant. All I know is that it is extremely stressful (makes me glad for the distance :p ).

I know that if I really wanted to I could have a better understanding of the tax forms and terms, but really, that's what DH is for :D. He's the one with the MBA....

So, tomorrow I get to mail off a check to the IRS, hoping they don't submit it till the money is in the bank (brother is sending payment to cover the taxes). They're supposed to hold it till they get the amended return and not penalize us as it will have been mailed on the 15th. Here's crossing my fingers/toes/eyes...

Pancreatic cancer

2008-03-05T20:08:00.002-06:00

Be warned: this is not an uplifting, light hearted post

Just saw today that Patrick Swayze has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. My heart goes out to him and his family. It's a horrid disease.

Last post I wrote about reading a book by Ronda Thompson. Well, I finished it and went online to find other books she'd written, and was saddened to learn that she had died last July from pancreatic cancer. While I am disappointed that there will not be sequels to Confessions of a Werewolf Supermodel, I offer my sympathies to her family.

It just amazes me how many cases of pancreatic cancer there seem to be lately -- Randy Pausch (still fighting), Pavarotti (deceased), Colin Friels (in remission), mother, father and brother of Jimmy Carter (all deceased), and many more past and current (there are lists online). The niece of one of my husband's co-workers, only 37 was diagnosed just after Thanksgiving and passed away last month, leaving behind two young children.

And most personal of all, my dad died May 2004 after fighting it for 2 years. He was actually diagnosed fairly early, not common for pancreatic cancer (usually by the time doctors figure out what's going on, it's in the worst stage and has spread). A tumor developed right at a bile duct and the jaundice got him into the doctor.

The first year of treatment went so well -- no really bad reactions to either the chemo or the radiation. The doctors were pleasantly surprised.

Then we hit the second year and things started to deteriorate. The cancer spread to his lungs (pancreatic is notorious for spreading to other areas of the body). Fluid would build up and he couldn't breathe -- he'd go in and they'd use a huge needle to remove the fluid. The chemo started to cause serious problems -- hair loss, tremors, loss of appetite, exhaustion. We saw my Dad in October 2003 when he came to visit, and he was not looking well, but at that point we were all still hopeful.

And then in early 2004 his digestive system stopped working. He'd eat and the food would just sit in his stomach, so he wouldn't be hungry, so wouldn't eat anymore. We had a family reunion in April that year for Easter and it was heart breaking. Dad didn't look like Dad anymore. My dad had always been large and robust and energetic, and now he seriously looked like someone from a concentration camp, starving to death. Turns out that the radiation treatments that he had weathered so well at the time basically destroyed his duodenum. And by the time the doctors figured out what the problem was, it was too late, his body had basically begun to shut down.

May 18th we received the call we'd been dreading. Got there on the 19th (we lived a couple of thousand miles away). Dad was already comatose, but was at home. My siblings were there and we spent lots of time gathered around him sharing memories and comforting one another. My children got a chance to say good-bye. Early the next morning he passed away.

Dad hadn't wanted a funeral or serious/sad memorial; he wanted a celebration of life. So that's what we did. We had 200 tulips (from an entry in his journal), displayed memorabilia (photo albums, his college sweater with his letter for swimming, etc), and a looped slide show of pictures of him from childhood till shortly before his death. My littlest had really only ever seen him while he was sick and didn't recognize the pictures of dad from when he was healthy -- so sad. And so many people came. It was wonderful to share stories and smiles and tears.

So, now I wonder if it's genetic, or environmental. Do I have an increased risk because Dad got it? Is it caused by something eaten or breathed or introduced into the body some other way? Can anything be done to reduce the risk?

And hearing about it more often -- is it really happening more, or is it just recognized/diagnosed more readily now than it used to be? Maybe it's always been around with the same incidence rate, only misdiagnosed as some other cancer or disease.

I know this wasn't a pleasant topic, but I needed to get all this out.

What's going on

2008-02-28T08:31:00.002-06:00

I'm not going to go into the details here (if you want them, go to my other blog Robin's Red Bottom), but my husband and I are struggling right now. We're looking for a counsellor to see if we can work things out -- we're definitely not continuing on as a couple/family without it.

So, in other "news"--
We all went and saw Jumper this weekend. It was ok. A good idea but the movie bogged down in the middle and never really recovered.

Finished reading P.S. I Love You. Definitely liked the book better than the movie; the characters were more fleshed out, more believable in the book, without the contrived family issues created for the movie. It was a nice book, not a great book, but I would recommend it.

Currently reading Confessions of a Werewolf Supermodel by Ronda Thompson. I haven't read anything else by her, but probably will after reading this. It's a fun read. Sometimes the writing seems a little stilted, but the story is amusing and engaging. I'm about halfway thru and will have it finished this weekend.

Hmmm, not sure what I'll read next -- so many, many to choose from :)

Exercised Monday and killed my quads. Finally, today, the pain has subsided enough that I am not in total pain with every moment, just a few twinges.

Semi watched the Oscars. The only movies I had seen were Enchanted and Ratatouille so I have no points of reference on the winners performances. Oh well.

Gotta go.

Today, Today, Today

2008-02-13T19:04:00.002-06:00

Saw this news article today, and had to fight the laughter. I'm sure the thief is in pain, if he survived the shock, but then, he was a thief...
I've marked the bits I found especially amusing.

Shock horror for would-be power cable thief
Tue Feb 12, 1:01 PM ET
Police in central England are hunting for a badly scorched would-be copper power cable thief after finding a hacksaw embedded in an 11,000 volt power cable Saturday night.
The thief, who also left a lit blow torch at the scene, is expected to be badly charred, spiky haired and not exactly the brightest bulb in the socket.
"The sheer stupidity of cutting through power cables should be glaringly obvious to everyone," said Phil Wilson, customer operations manager with local power company Central Networks.
"At the very least putting the hacksaw through the cable would have created an almighty bang and the line would have burned for quite a few seconds, showering them with molten copper... We can only assume they left in a great hurry or they were injured and were dragged away by an accomplice." But searches of local hospitals have so far not found the culprit, a spokeswoman for Derbyshire Police said Tuesday.
"Maybe they had a lucky escape," she said. "We don't have any leads yet."
Nearly 800 customers in the village of Creswell were cut off when the wannabe copper thief sawed into their power supply on Saturday night, but Central Networks got the lights back on within a few hours.
Copper prices have more than doubled in the last four years as China has gobbled up huge quantities of it, sparking a wave of copper thefts across the globe from South Africa and the United States to Italy and Britain.
Thieves targeting power lines and electricity substations have already led to two fatalities in Britain and many serious injuries, while leaving thousands without power.
(Reporting by Daniel Fineren, editing by Paul Casciato)

Beyond this, my day was pretty blah. Had a breakfast meeting and then a lunch meeting, so didn't get much done today. Didn't help that what I thought was allergies is turning into a cold -- based on the headache, coughing, sore throat, and pressure in my ears. I so can not be sick right now, too much stuff to do. And DH comes home on Friday and I don't want to be sick over the weekend.

Glad to have the writer's strike over. Way too many reality shows popping up -- stupid, nasty shows.
Jericho is back on tonight. So glad the network reconsidered the cancellation. Looking forward for the return of lots of shows.

Enjoying PS I Love You. It's a good book. Don't really approve of all the changes made to the story for the movie. Of course, I still approve of Gerard Butler being in the movie :D

Gotta try to get to sleep early tonight. Took too long to fall asleep last night and then the stupid snow plow woke me up at 2:30 A.M. Ugh. So I overslept, was late out the door, and then a train crossed my path, so I was 20 minutes late this morning. Gotta do better tomorrow.

Weather today was gorgeous --clear blue sky and lots of sunshine. Still cold but at least sunny. Supposedly more snow is on the way. Such a snowy, gloomy miserable winter. Can't wait for spring (which is probably still a couple of months away).

Here's my day

2008-02-11T21:05:00.000-06:00

Miserable.
That pretty much sums it up.
I felt pretty nasty all day while at work, headachy, nauseous, just a smidge away from migraine land. And with sinus problems.
The door alarm was broken. This means it was beeping multiple times a minute for hours --- oh. my. god. What agony. I finally had to turn on my iPod just so I wouldn't be able to hear it. Someone finally turned up about 1pm to fix it.
Had a bunch of personal stuff to take care of -- banking (changing banks -- yuch, what a hassle), insurance, bills, errands during lunch (bright side -- DH was pleased that I got everything done that he'd asked me to).
Extra long commute home as the weather had turned nasty.
Got home to find out that the dryer has broken. Damn, damn, damn. We really don't have the $$ to deal with this right now. And no way to dry the already wet clothes as it is the middle of winter and freaking cold. I don't even know where to find a laundromat in this town. Guess it's time to suss one out.
Found out that I should have been filing a tax return in another state (because of inheritance when my dad died). And they've generously allowed me one month to get the 2006 info filed. Great. At least I know DH is really good about keeping all the papers together so when he gets home this weekend it shouldn't be too hard to get everything all together. Just one more addition to my stress.
So, now it is bedtime for the kiddies, and time for me to completely relax and try to get more sleep tonight than I did last night.

Hope your day was better than mine.

Been a month

2008-02-10T22:21:00.000-06:00

Not much is going on.

DH and I go to work (he's travelling this week) and the kids go to school. The weather is nasty (we're well below freezing today). The dog has been trying to steal laundry -- last week I found pants, socks, hats, gloves and a pair of my underpants out in the backyard. The kids are supposed to check the yard everyday when they come home -- it's too dark when I get home to really see what's there. The cat's upset because it's too cold for him to spend time outside and he really doesn't like using a litterbox.

I'm currently reading PS I Love You. I'm not very far in, but while the movie was based on the book, the movie was a very loose telling of the book (lots of artistic license). Not sure yet but I will probably like the book more.

The book before was Light. Confusing and not all that enjoyable. And I'm too anal to just put down a book I'm not enjoying -- I keep hoping that it will get better.

Work is ------ unsettled right now. There're some major changes going through, some people are losing their jobs, and it's got me worried. Nothing has been said specifically, but I feel like I'm being kept more on the outskirts than usual. DH has suggested that I start looking around for something new, but with our big vacation planned for the beginning of May, I don't want to have to arrange it all with a new employer. Job hunting is such an energy drain, especially since I don't know what I want to look for. I've done such a variety of jobs in the past that I really don't have any specialized skills.

Starting in high school, and chronologically:
youth conservation corps at the local fish hatchery
store clerk
receptionist
Burger King
university food service
university library
temp agency
store clerk
field biologist with the federal government
entry writer with a customs broker
elementary school substitute teacher
general office in a warehouse working with distribution and transportation

So, where do I go from here? I think I'd like working in the local library, but the hours are so varied and if I change jobs I'd really like to be able to spend more time at home with the kids. I could look into the local school district, I suppose, but not as a substitute. I really do not want to do anything in retail, and sales is so not me.

Just the thought of starting over again anywhere, doing anything just exhausts me. And I have to work, we need the second income.

Well, no point in stressing over it right now.

Positive comments

2008-01-09T20:35:00.000-06:00

Today, at work, I had two people comment that I was looking good and had obviously lost some weight. One of these was a male co-worker with whom I really don't have conversations about anything not work-related, so it was especially surprising.

Now, I do weigh a few pounds less than a week ago, according to the scale, and I 'think' I can see physical changes in my appearance but am always worried that it's just wishful thinking. This is proof that the changes I'm making are working.

Of course, if you saw the previous post, I've only just restarted my weight loss efforts. What these first pounds off show me is that my body really doesn't like all the junky food and will respond positively and quickly when I make the appropriate changes. I'm sure this first little loss is more a loss of bloat than of fat, but I'll take whatever I can get and run with it.

I wish I was losing where I really want to. I've noticed that when I first start to lose weight, it's kinda from the outside in. I notice it first in my face/neck, hands, and feet. It seems to take forever before I see changes in the worst areas, and never seem to see any loss in my breasts (they get perkier but not smaller, and they are, in my opinion, way too big). I know it's a matter of perseverance and eventually my whole body while shrink, it can just be a little frustrating...

Gotta say the heart monitor helps. Nothing like an annoying beeping alarm to let you know you're heart rate is not high enough to make you work harder to make it stop.

We go on our vacation, another cruise, at the beginning of May. If I can keep with this I could conceivably weigh 30 lbs less than I do now (16 weeks x approx 2 lbs/week) and that's a huge deal; about a third of how much I ultimately need to lose. I haven't been in my ideal weight range since high school, and a 30 pound loss would put me about where I was 13 years ago.

So, here's to hard work, determination, and perseverance. And people keeping the supportive comments coming.

Survived the Holidays

2008-01-07T21:02:00.000-06:00

Hey there. Bet you thought I'd given up on this.
Nope, it's just been a little crazy with the holidays and all.

So, let's see, since my last 'real' post (I'm not counting the Christmas one), MC has turned 13 (oooh, yeah, another teenager in the house -- I am so not old enough to be the mother of teens); we've gone to see "The Waterhorse" (cute, nice family film, but nothing exciting) and "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" (some fun, but not as good as the first one); we survived 5 days in a row together without any major bodily harm; my exercise program got shunted to the side; managed to get all the shopping done before Christmas Eve; OC's best friend moved far, far away; DH and I went out for New Year's Eve (too a horribly loud bar); I woke up Jan. 2 with a nasty cold (which I am still not completely over); MC and YC have each lost a tooth; DH got a tattoo (his first, and probably last); my newest niece was born (today); my in-laws didn't come to visit -- again (they always say they're coming but never do -- mixed blessing); and that's pretty much it.

Nothing much, really. And now the holidays are over, not another official one till Memorial Day. DH and I are back to work and the kids are back to school. OC is getting braces this month -- that should be fun -- not. She's already made all sorts of demands on how they should work and how long she'll have them on, etc.

Today is the official restart of my exercise 'program'. To assist in my pursuit of a healthier and hopefully thinner me, I purchased a few things -- a scale that not only shows weight but also body fat%, muscle mass%, BMR, and total body water%; a pedometer; and a heart rate monitor (DH also got one for Christmas). I'm hopeful that as I see changes beyond just my weight, I'll be additionally inspired to keep going. I'm also trying to get my eating back on track -- I have a really hard time eating healthier when I'm home and with the family. Did ok today -- organic oatmeal for breakfast, a Kashi entree for lunch, a gyro for dinner, and two cookies with some Nutella for dessert -- no soda, no chips, no candy. Obviously, I fell way short on fruits and veggies, but there's always tomorrow. Trying to change it all at the same time is a recipe for failure. Too many ways to screw it up.

Still haven't made it to "P.S. I Love You." Hoped to this weekend but the cold waylaid that plan.

Since DH got a tattoo, he now tells me I can get one if I want to. I have thought about it over the years, but a) I don't know if I could find one I really, really like, and b) I don't know where on my body I'd like to have one. So not getting one any time soon, but maybe some day. I can at least do some research...

New Year's Eve -- DH took me to a bar he likes to go to, but we don't usually go together. Now I know why. Good grief, but the music was LOUD!!!!!. It was making me physically ill, and we were across the bar from the speakers -- don't know how people could stand to be dancing right in front of them. Also the crowd is heavy on the college aged -- local college is only a couple of blocks away. On the plus side, they had good food and good drinks (love their Mayan Chocolate Martini -- has a nice spicy kick). Don't think we're going there again. They do have a sister bar in the neighboring town and the music wasn't so loud (or the crowd so young) at that one. So, we'll see.

So, are you wondering about the picure at the top of this post? Going to tell about it anyway...
That is MC, Christmas morning, after allowing YC to play "hair salon" with his hair. He has 12 little pony tails, plus a few clips in his hair. He actually invited her to play with him. Sometimes he surprises us -- so often he is nasty and mean to YC, then he does something like this where he's actually a pretty wonderful big brother. Sigh.

Merry Christmas

2007-12-25T21:02:00.000-06:00

Gerard Butler

2007-12-13T20:12:00.000-06:00

Confession time:

Gerard Butler -- don't know him at all so, can't really say that I like him, but boy do I like to look at and listen to him. He just does it for me -- tall, dark, handsome, green/blue eyes, lovely voice with Scottish accent. From the bio info I've read and the interviews I've heard, he appears to be intelligent with a sense of humor, very personable. And that smile....

And he's got a new movie coming out in 1 week: P.S. I Love You. I won't be able to see it when it comes out -- MC's birthday is that weekend and he's already been promised a movie with friends. And I know DH will not want to go, a) because he's not a big fan of romantic movies, and b) because he's uncomfortable with me finding someone else attractive. And to make it worse, his brother knows GB and has mentioned the possible of sometime introducing us. (I don't know if DH thinks GB is going to see me and try to steal me away [right] or what, but he doesn't want to be seen as doing anything to support my interest.) But I think OC will go with me -- we'll have a girls night out, leave DH home with MC and YC.

First movie I saw him in was "timeline" a couple of years ago. Since then I think I've seen them all. Have to say my absolute favorite so far is "dear Frankie." No special effects, no rousing score or fight scenes, just a simple story. And I think he was terrific. I actually have 'Timeline" and "Dear Frankie" on my DVR for when I need a bit of Gerry.

Once I see the new movie, I'll post a review.

Holiday Favorites -- More Fun

2007-12-04T22:52:00.000-06:00

Here's a couple more fun Christmas songs -- not on my iPod, but should be.

And

Holiday Favorites -- Fun & Silly

2007-12-02T21:39:00.000-06:00

Here's 3 more I have on my iPod but rarely hear on the radio.

What's to say? You've either seen the movie and remember the weather twins, or you don't.

There doesn't seem to be an "official" video of this song, but I like this one.

And finally ...

At least one of these "pains" has to ring true for anyone trying to celebrate the holidays. Again, doesn't seem to be an official video, but I've found many, many videos on youtube, and this was my favorite. It's obviously a very popular song. Bob Rivers has many other "twisted" holiday songs on his website The Bob Rivers Show.

Holiday Favorites -- from Love Actually

2007-12-01T22:49:00.000-06:00

It's that time of year (at least here in the States) when some radio stations become all holiday, all the time. I love a lot of the old standards, but I have a few favorites that I rarely, if ever, hear anywhere but on my iPod.

From the movie "Love Actually." It's Bill Nighy in the movie and video, but it's Billy Mack singing.

Also from "Love Actually" this is Olivia Olson singing 'All I Want For Christmas is You.'

Last, but not least

This beautiful version of White Christmas by Otis Redding is also in the movie and on the soundtrack.

Answers to the Quiz

2007-11-17T20:38:00.000-06:00

1. Boxing [suggested this, but DH said no]

2. Niagara Falls (The rim is worn down about two and a half feet each year because of the millions of gallons of water that rush over it every minute.)

3. Asparagus and rhubarb

4. Strawberry [got this one]

5. It grew inside the bottle (The bottles are placed over the pear buds when they are small, and are wired in place on the tree. The bottle is left in place for the entire growing season. When the pears are ripe, they are snipped off at the stems.) [got this one]

6. Dwarf, dwell, dwindle. [got 2 out of 3 -- missed dwindle]

7. Period, comma, colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen, apostrophe, question mark, exclamation point, quotation marks, brackets, parentheses, braces, and ellipses. [got all these]

8. Lettuce [got this one]

9. Shoes, socks, sandals, sneakers, slippers, skis, skates, snowshoes, stockings, stilts [got this one]

So, how'd you do?

Test Your Smarts

2007-11-14T21:34:00.001-06:00

I got this from a co-worker. Didn't do too badly; course I had DH's help. I'll post the answers in a day or two.

Quiz

These are not trick questions. They are straight questions with straight answers.

1. Name the one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends.

2. What famous North American landmark is constantly moving backward?

3. Of all vegetables, only two can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons. All other vegetables must be replanted every year. What are the only two perennial vegetables?

4. What fruit has its seeds on the outside?

5. In many liquor stores, you can buy pear brandy, with a real pear inside the bottle. The pear is whole and ripe, and the bottle is genuine; it hasn’t been cut in any way. How did the pear get inside the bottle?

6. Only three words in standard English begin with the letters “dw” and they are all common words. Name two of them.

7. There are 14 punctuation marks in English grammar. Can you name at least half of them?

8. Name the only vegetable or fruit that is never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form except fresh.

9. Name 6 or more things that you can wear on your feet beginning with the letter “s.”

Back at it

2007-11-08T20:12:00.000-06:00

Exercising, I mean. So far I've exercised (cardio plus strength plus stretch) the last 3 days this week. And I'm working on my diet, too. I think I just needed a few weeks to work through the subconscious panic the regular exercising was causing (oh no, she's exercising, 5 days a week, that means she's going to start starving me too, gotta eat, eat everything, Mickey D's here I come).
I've got whole grain cereals, skim milk, dried fruit, walnuts, whole grain bread and such at work. For my sweet tooth and chocolate cravings I've got some dark chocolate wafer cookies, in single serving packs, in my drawer. The only fast food this week was a salad from McDonald's, everything else has been prepared at office or home (a lot of it is premade, but it's a step in the right direction).
I've also resumed taking a multi vitamin with minerals, something that was recommended by my doctor during my annual physical.

Completely new topic --
My last post was about my hellish week. Obviously I survived (it felt pretty doubtful over the weekend). What I didn't mention was how great DH was during the whole thing, starting with the special private time Tuesday night (I'll post about it on my other blog Robin's Red Bottom, if you're interested in the explicit details). Wednesday and Thursday he had to make sure the kids got up for school, then did chores and homework after, plus make sure they had dinner (don't know if they ate fast food or if something was fixed in house). He also had to take the youngest trick-or-treating, and man the candy bowl when they were home. On Friday, I was able to do the morning stuff, but he was again responsible for afternoon/evening. And he cleaned the house! It was so nice to walk into a clean and polished house after 3 long days of work. [This is something I regularly do for him when he's been travelling -- it makes coming home more pleasant for him.]
Then came the weekend and the head cold from hell. He took the kids out for lunch on Saturday and kept them busy the rest of the day (especially YC, she's such a momma's girl she doesn't like to leave me alone). And Sunday he took the kids and did all the grocery shopping, feeding them while they were out.
Monday, when I made the decision to stay home, he got the kids up and took YC to childcare so I wouldn't have to get up and take her into school. And when the kids came home, they pretty much took care of themselves.
So through the whole miserable week, DH was my knight in shining armor, making sure everything was taken care of so I could get the rest I needed. Am I lucky or what?

Where'd October Go?

2007-11-05T21:54:00.001-06:00

So it's been more than a week since I last posted, but when you hear how crazy things have been, you'll excuse me.
Last post I mentioned my two crazy work days with the extra long commutes. Last week was worse.
Monday was normal, Tuesday was a little longer than normal (last business day of the month always is). I know Tuesday the 30th is not the last day of October, but since we started physical inventory on Wednesday, EOM was moved up a day. My responsibility for physical the past couple of years has been tag control. I won't go into the boring details, but basically it means that as long as product is being counted I have to be at work to check the tags in and out. Consequently, on Wednesday I worked from 430 am to 615 pm (with only about a 20 minute break for lunch). Thursday I started again at 430 am and was the last building employee to leave at about 8 pm -- and Thursday was much crazier than Wednesday, plus I was getting a cold. Friday I didn't have to start til 830 am (counting was done), but still ended up being one of the last out at about 7 pm.
Definite living dead for Saturday just from the long unusual work hours. But to make it even more zombie zone, I got a nasty nasty head cold. I spent most of the weekend in bed, didn't even have energy for date night. It's one of those colds where everything is stuffed up and the bones in my face and my teeth even ache due to the sinus pressure. I tried rinsing out my sinuses, but couldn't even get any drainage. OTC medications weren't even really helping, just taking the edge off. Absolutely miserable. I even stayed home from work today -- especially good as this afternoon I developed a migraine.
So, no exercise since Monday last week, poor diet due to extreme situation, stress, head cold, migraine, period -- I'm a mess. Here's hoping the cold does not become a sinus infection (I have chronic sinus problems) and continues to improve. I will get back to exercising regularly this week. I WILL. Things can only get better, right?
Now to bed.

Too Tired

2007-10-25T21:03:00.000-05:00

It's been a busy week. So of course the exercise has fallen by the wayside the last couple of days.
I'm exhausted -- I had a 50 mile drive one way (about 2 hours) Tuesday and Wednesday to attend some special project meetings for work (which it turns out I really didn't need to attend as it was all review for me). Long, boring meetings in uncomfortable chairs which people from other facilities who have to be difficult. Aaaaaggggghhhh. Then OC had a band rehearsal Wednesday evening, with the actual concert tonight. So fitting exercise in just was too hard.
I do plan on getting back on track tomorrow after work.
Saturday I have a chiro appt and then it's clean the house top to bottom before DH comes home -- he's going to be exhausted and one of hte best ways to welcome him home is with a clean house. I even plan on reducing my piles (if you could see my bedroom, you'd know what i mean).

You Must Watch This

2007-10-22T20:49:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HqdnjgkExY

I tried to put the video itself here, but couldn't seem to manage it tonight.

Randy Pausch and his last lecture have been all over the news. I saw him today on Oprah. Very inspiring, but somewhat painful for me. Randy has pancreatic cancer, the same cancer that killed my dad 3 1/2 years ago. It's one of the worst cancers to get, with no survival rate. At least my siblings and I got to have our dad til we were all grown up.

If you can, I would also suggest watching today's episode of Oprah -- Randy gives a version of this lecture plus sits down and talks with Oprah and Dr. Oz. Very inspiring episode.

Randy's webpage at Carnegie Mellon:

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~pausch/

Friendly Reminder...

2007-10-20T16:43:00.000-05:00

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month (at least in the U.S.) -- have you had your annual mammogram yet?

I did, just this past week. Believe me, it is not a pleasant experience to have your breasts pushed and pulled and placed just right, and then squashed. There's nothing quite like having a part of your body that you consider beautiful and sexy and sensual handled like so much meat (visits to the gyno are ickily similar). But it's only 5 - 10 minutes once a year. And considering that it just might save my life, it's an unpleasantness I'll put up with.

This was my third annual mammogram. And if you're doing the math (40 years old now minus 3 years = 37 at first mammogram), you're aware that I had my first one earlier than generally recommended. This is because my mom had breast cancer. She went through treatments (never even lost her hair) and has now been cancer free, and considered cured, for more than 10 years. I don't know whether the cancer was discovered during an annual mammogram or thru self-exam, but now that there is a family history (no other blood family members on either side that I know of have had breast cancer), plus I have a few other health issues that raise my risk, I'm not taking any chances. If it's going to happen, I would rather catch it earlier than later.

luv ur breasts

So, ladies, if you haven't had your mammogram yet this year, get it done; and make sure to do your monthly self-exams.

Gentlemen, encourage the ladies in your life to get their mammogram. And those monthly exams, you might consider helping out with those, make them more fun than chore.

Still Going Strong

2007-10-17T20:49:00.000-05:00

Well, the exercising thing is going well -- 5 days last week, and up to 3 days this week. And I can already see positive changes in my body, less jiggling, etc. (the scale hasn't changed -- see next paragraph). Weekends are more difficult than week days because that's when we do everything that didn't get done during the work week -- cleaning, shopping, cooking, errands, sleeping.

I have discovered that I have a psychological issue -- I cannot diet and exercise at the same time. Ever since I committed to exercising at least 5 days a week, I just cannot keep up the healthy eating. I keep healthy food at work, but have been going out to eat, and buying cookies and other not so good choices for weight loss and healthy living. I know it's psychological, and I am trying to work through it. I'm hoping that has the exercise thing becomes a regular, easy to keep with, expected part of my day, that my mind will realize that I am not trying to starve and torture myself and will then be able to reincorporate healthy eating habits. (Thank you Martha Beck and "4 Day Win" for helping me with the mental aspects of healthy living/eating).

Other things going on --
DH is travelling again. He'll be home for the weekend, then off again until the last week of the month, just in time to take charge of Halloween (I will be at work 4:30 a.m. till at least 6 p.m. that day and the day or two after as well).
Special multi-day project at work -- I am so not a morning person that I will be stressed out and cranky for the duration. In light of this, my chiropractor has arranged a one hour session the Thursday before and the Saturday after to help me relax and destress (I am one of those people who holds all their stress in the back -- can only go so long without a good therapeutic massage and adjustment).
Oh, and I can expect PMS that week as well. Oh, joy, can't wait.

Reading --
Just finished 'Expanded Universe' by Robert A. Heinlein. I love the way he writes and what he writes about, fiction and non. He is someone I would have like to have met.
Also read 'The Worst Thing I've Done' by Ursula Hegi. Very interesting, but somewhat dark. I don't often read novels of this type, but it fit my mood when I saw it. I enjoyed it -- read it in two days, and recommend it.
Now reading 'I'd Kill For That,' a serial mystery edited by Marcia Talley (authors include Rita Mae Brown, Kathy Reichs, Kay Hooper, and nine others). It's a little confusing to start -- too many characters introduced too quickly -- but I'm getting into it now.

And that's about it. Same old, same old.

3 days

2007-10-10T23:56:00.000-05:00

Totally exhausted and sore, but managed to make it 3 days in a row for exercising. Unfortunately, the endorphins aren't boosting my mood so well tonight -- feel the need for a good cry. But I really need to try to sleep since tomorrow is another work day.

Nothing much else going on -- since I've been exercising after work, I haven't had a lot of time for reading or attentive TV watching. Soon, once the exercise becomes for of a regular habit, it will be easier to fit it all in.

Sore and tired

2007-10-09T22:23:00.000-05:00

Sore and tired today, but I again did 30 minutes of cardio and some strength training. Definitely need to take the ibuprofen before bed.

I'm trying to find a widget of a calendar where I can check off the days I exercise. Haven't found one yet, so I'm looking to see how hard creating my own will be. If I find one or create one, I plan to add it to this blog.

I'm trying

2007-10-08T21:50:00.001-05:00

I came home today and exercised. Whoo hoo! Did 30 minutes of cardio and some strength exercises. Now if I can just keep this up. I did not eat well today, but I did exercise.

I've tied my computer time in with this -- I won't get on the computer, for blogging or anything else, until I've done my exercise. Some days there may be exceptions (evening appointments, illness, etc.) but my mantra today was "I will exercise when I get home. I will do 30 minutes of cardio. I have no excuses, I am not sick, and being worn out is not valid." I just kept repeating this to myself through out the day. Amazing how changing one little word changes the force of the message (should to will).

And I needed the exercise endorphins. I've been spiralling into a funk the past few days, not really sure why, happens occasionally, and I think if I hadn't exercised I'd be curled up in a ball listening to my 'need to cry' playlist on my iPod.

Here's to keeping up the hard work.

Physical follow up

2007-10-05T23:25:00.000-05:00

I mentioned previously that I'd had my annual physical. My injection site is almost back to normal -- no longer red and swollen, but there is still a hard knot present. Got my test results back and everything is normal, with the exception of my cholesterol (LDL too high, HDL too low). Dr doesn't want to put me on meds, so I've got to make some lifestyle changes. We all know what those are: move more and eat better/less. I don't do well on either point, haven't for years, which of course explains all the extra weight I carry around with me.

I've tried over the years -- joining various dieting groups, the gym, hiring a personal trainer. I have a hard time sticking with anything, and I've discovered I'm somewhat of a picky eater. And with working full-time with an hour commute each way, I find it difficult to find the energy and enthusiasm for exercising before or after work (doesn't help that I am not morning person, either).

I know I've got to pull it together -- I'm 40 and there are a variety of cancers in my family medical history -- and get healthy before it's too late. I actually eat healthier at work than I do at home, keeping whole grain cereals in my desk and non fat milk in the fridge, along with frozen meals, veggies, fruit, etc. also either in my desk or the fridge. There are vending machines, but I rarely raid them (usual only during that one week of the month), and I am not a big soda drinker, diet or regular -- water is my drink of choice. So I have to take care with dinners and weekends.

Exercising is my biggest challenge. When I do exercise, I enjoy it and I feel good after (gotta love those endorphins), but I can always come up with excuses not to (I'm tired, exercise clothes aren't clean, kids need taken care of, dinner needs fixing, housework needs done, errands to run, etc., etc., and on and on). A lot of guides to healthy living are now talking about building rewards into the system -- every time I exercise I get to do something that I enjoy (as long as it has nothing to do with food), and anytime I reach a small, specified goal, I get a bigger reward, and so on. I'll have to come up with a list -- I think computer time/blogging is going to have to become an after exercise reward. Maybe I can enlist DH to provide extra special rewards when I meet my goals

Mom's Overture

2007-10-04T21:07:00.000-05:00

My Mom sent this to me, and especially given yesterday's post, it's especially funny. Even if you aren't a parent, you will probably remember your mom saying many of these same things to you -- I sure do.

Enjoy.

Teenagers!!

2007-10-03T19:27:00.000-05:00

What is it with teens (and pre-teens)? Good grief!

Today started like any normal day, everyone up and out to school or work. During my commute, DH calls to tell me that our oldest child (OC) has a disaster area for a bedroom and needs to be told to clean it. Can't do anything about that until the afternoon so I continue on to work.

While on my lunch break (taken very late today due to "crises" that kept arising every time I was ready to go), DH left me a voice message. He had called home and talked to OC and she had proceeded to argue/debate with him about the necessity of cleaning her room -- she doesn't like to put her dirty clothes in the hamper, doesn't want to keep her clean clothes in the closet (too much work to open the door and put clothes away or take them out), and on and on. This sort of behavior/attitude really pisses off DH.

I tried to call her but she was out picking up her little sister from school and our son missed the bus, so he wasn't home to take a message. When he called to tell me about the bus, I warned him about his sister and that she might be in a bad mood. Next time I tried calling, MC (middle child) was home and OC was in her room, and according to MC didn't want to talk to anyone (I told him to tell her that was unacceptable and to come talk to me, but by the time he made it back upstairs, she'd gotten in the shower). He also told me that he was going to do his chores and her chores since she was busy in her room. I went over what needed to be done, and told him to tell OC to call me back.

While on my commute home, MC called and asked if he could go to the nearby elementary school with a friend. He implied that all the chores were done, I told him to be home before dark, and he agreed.

I got home and NONE of the chores were done, MC had left his backpack out, did not have his cell phone, and according to OC had never told her that I had called and that she needed to call me back. OC had worked on her room but was still argumentative. While I was having a calm discussion with OC, DH came home, and was immediately irritated that MC wasn't home and hadn't done his chores, etc. DH drove up to the school to find him, but he wasn't there, so we pulled out his cell phone and started calling friends, starting with the one he was supposed to be with (he wasn't). DH just got more and more pissed. OC finally got up and started doing chores -- talking the whole time (motormouth).

DH left for the gym, and I waited for MC to get home. He was late -- it was already dark. He acted like he had no idea why we would be upset with him. But this is not the first (second, or third) time that he has completely disregarded the rules and lied. You would think with as many times as he's been caught and disciplined he would know better, but I swear sometimes that his brain completely shuts down. And he is such the consummate liar -- unless we've actually got proof of the wrongdoing, it's very hard to tell when he's lying. Test scores indicate intelligence, but sometimes we have to wonder. DH was so pissed he actually talked about spanking him to get the point across -- for DH to even suggest spanking the kids is an indication of how angry he was.

I've taken his cell phone, DS, and computer access away -- again. He's restricted to the house except for outside chores, school, and family activities for at least a week and a half. This usually works for awhile but eventually he do it all over again.

Part of the enforcement problem is that there's no adult supervision when they get home from school. No way to resolve that at this time, but hopefully by next school year (when OC enters the main high school), I'll be working part-time and home in the afternoon.

Don't have the answers, just hope we survive the teen years (2 at the same time, one female, one male -- I hope we make it out sane).

Dreams -- the Good, the Bad, the Bizarre

2007-10-01T21:39:00.000-05:00

I had the oddest dream the other night -- zombies. Yep, living dead eat the living zombies. Still haven't figured out where this came from. I'm really not a big fan of horror in general, let alone zombies in particular. I have occasionally watched a zombie movie, most recently Shaun of the Dead and part of another one who's title completely escapes me, but the most recent was weeks ago. So, clueless as to why my brain decided to spit out zombies during dreamtime. And to make it worse, it became one of those dreams where I knew I was dreaming and was trying to change it to make everything okay and nothing was working.

I was at my grandparents ranch (haven't been there in over 10 years) and my kids were with me. It's hazy but I think a few other adults were there too (my sister, maybe?). And we were trying to keep zombies out of the house and away from us so we could escape. Almost all the "walls" of the house were floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding glass doors (really, in real life). And for some unknown reason, while I'm trying to fight off zombies and protect my kids, I'm worried about making sure the cat can get in and out of the house okay and has food and water -- even during the dream I was aware of how stupid this was. So, as I kept trying to change things so the zombies would be gone, and nothing was working, I was becoming ever more frustrated. I put large SUV right next to the door, got everyone into it, and took off, and just as I'm thinking "finally, no more zombies, it's over" there's one of them on the roof of the car! That's when I finally woke up enough to decide I'd had it with zombie dreams for the night.

As I'm lying there, barely awake, I'm thinking "what can I possibly fill my mind with that will help me not focus on zombies? Know what came to mind? Sex, of course :) I honestly don't remember specifically what thoughts of sex I filled my mind with, but it worked. No more dreams of bleeping zombies. But it did lead to another interesting dream, the one I was having when I woke up.

DH and I were at some club somewhere, dim lighting, tables, lots of people. A guy comes up to us while we're getting drinks and tells DH that he'd really like to get to know me better, and DH invites him to join us at our table. A table that already has about 4 or 5 other men sitting around out. Apparently, we were interviewing to find someone to join us in a threesome (or moresome).

I'm not going to lie, this is a recurring fantasy for me (4 hands, 2 mouths, 2 cocks [shiver], focused on me, oh wow -- could be heaven). DH goes back and forth as to whether it might ever be a reality, and I'm not holding my breath. It's ultimately his decision, and it's not something I "need" to be happy. I don't think he's so much worried about how I would handle it, but how he would -- he might consider it his "get out of jail free" card and he would think that he was then entitled to go fuck anyone he wanted, with or without my knowledge/approval/company. I don't look at it that way at all, but as long as he does... Guess it will stay firmly in my fantasies.

The Everything Test

2007-09-25T20:41:00.000-05:00

The Everything Test

There are many different types of tests on the internet today. Personality tests, purity tests, stereotype tests, political tests. But now, there is one test to rule them all.

Traditionally, online tests would ask certain questions about your musical tastes or clothing for a stereotype, your experiences for a purity test, or deep questions for a personality test.We're turning that upside down - all the questions affect all the results, and we've got some innovative results too! Enjoy :-)

Personality

You are more logical than emotional, more concerned about self than concerned about others, more atheist than religious, more dependent than loner, more lazy than workaholic, more traditional than rebel, more engineering mind than artistic mind, more cynical than idealist, more leader than follower, and more extroverted than introverted.

As for specific personality traits, you are innovative (71%), horny (61%).

Stereotypes
Prep	92%
Young Professional	70%
Punk Rock	67%

Life Experience
Sex	40%
Substances	8%
Travel	41%

Politics
Your political views would best be described as Libertarian, whom you agree with around 45% of the time.

Socioeconomic
Your attitude toward life best associates you with Middle Class. You make more than 81% of those who have taken this test, and 8% less than the U.S. average.

If your life was a movie, it would be rated PG-13.
By the way, your hottness rank is 52%, hotter than 22% of other test takers.

TAKE THE TEST
brought to you by thatsurveysite

I have to say I disagree with many of these results, particularly the classifications of 'concerned about self,' 'dependent,' 'cynical,' 'leader,' and 'extrovert.' I don't think those are correct, and most people who know me would agree. I don't think any of the stereotypes fit me, either. Hmmm, not sure how 'everything' this test is, but it was interesting to take.

Feel like ...

2007-09-23T20:36:00.000-05:00

I feel horrible this evening. Headachy and pains. Don't know why. I do know the site of my DTaP injection is huge, red, swollen, itchy. Don't think I want another one anytime soon. I've taken ibuprofen for the aches and pains, but it doesn't seem to be helping much -- I'm just hoping it's not a migraine (the aches and nausea lead to this possibility). The only migraine medicine I have is Excedrin, full of caffeine, which if I take now will keep my up all night. Considering I live with insomnia on a regular basis, taking something that definitely will keep me up is not a bright idea. I don't really think I should miss work tomorrow -- Tuesday is going to be short anyway as I have an appointment before work that will make me late, and an appointment that I will need to leave early to keep.

Nothing new going on -- reading The Number of the Beast by Robert A. Heinlein. Worked on the DVR timers to make sure everything we want to watch is set up as the new season starts. DH is home for the next couple of weeks. Had my annual physical last week, but still need to go in for lab work (Tuesday morning), and mammogram (next month), before I find out if all is well (BP ok, weight too high [nothing new there]).

Talked to my younger sister Friday (she called me). She's doing well. DH is trying to convince her to bring her family on a cruise with us next year. Not sure if I want this or not -- afraid it might cramp our style :P But he thinks it might be good for her marriage. Don't know...

Getting late, gotta get ready for bed and tomorrow.

Scary Friday

2007-09-16T14:49:00.000-05:00

Haven't posted here in a while -- been focusing on getting my other blog up and running with some consistency. I was going to post this past Friday night, about what my average day is like, etc., but things happened.

I'd had a normal day -- drag my butt out of bed, head to work (fight off a migraine), head home, relax (long soak in the tub). My two older children were excited to be going to their first high school football game. DH took them while I was getting ready for my bath. After the bath, I was getting ready to pull out my computer and do some blogging.

Then the kids called. The football game was a rivalry game with such a large crowd it was held at the local college stadium instead of either of the high schools. Tensions were high, it went into overtime, we lost. After it was over, DH headed into town to pick them up. He couldn't get close because of police activity. Yep, police, everywhere. He called me, I called the kids, spoke with our daughter who was hysterical. Once they got home I got the whole story.

A couple of different things had happened. A longtime acquaintance of theirs had words with someone from the other school, who took offense and managed to shove their friend through floor to ceiling window of a local restaurant. My kids didn't witness this but came upon it right after it happened. They were questioned by the police, which my daughter did say wasn't scary at all (she thought it would be based on what she's seen on TV). Then while the kids were walking away from this, more fighting broke out, apparently all between people from the rival town. My kids got separated from each other, which only frightened them more. Fighting started no more than 2 feet away from my daughter, she just walked on by, but when a group of girls went screaming and running across the street to get further away, she was smart enough to join them (she didn't know any of them as they were all from the other school). An upperclassmen from the other school then pushed her behind him for protection. The police, already there because of the window breaking incident, rushed into to stop the fighting, chasing suspects down the streets. My daughter continued on her way to find her brother and get to DH. She ended up passing the same officer who had questioned her earlier as he was holding down and handcuffing one of the fighters. She was just totally freaked by the whole thing.

They finally got home. I was talking with my daughter, but also wanted to hear from my son. He was outside, very upset, as he'd come home and while IM'ing with friends had found out that the acquaintance who'd gone through the window had subsequently been beat up so badly that he'd been hospitalized. Eventually, everyone calmed down, and I was just thankful that all they'd received was a bad scare.

So what started as an absolutely normal Friday ended up as anything but.

A Start

2007-07-27T23:34:00.000-05:00

Hi, I'm Robin.

I'm just hoping to a create a place where I can talk about whatever -- books, news, TV, daily activities, etc.

So, it's late Friday. I have time to do this as my hubby has gone out. He's had a stressful week and heading out to the bar for a few hours helps him unwind. Should put him in a better mood for this weekend.

He bought a motorcycle this week. I think it's a Harley-Davidson Sportster, but since I know nothing about motorcycles I really can't say for certain. Last year it was a sports car (black Lexus SC430). Before you start thinking we're rolling in dough, neither was purchased brand new. We joke that he's going thru his mid-life crisis. As long as I'm allowed my fun, too, I'm not going to complain.

I'm currently reading Deadly Decisions by Kathy Reichs, 3rd in her Temperance Brennan series. Good books, absolutely nothing like the TV series "Bones". I have to divorce myself from the notion that they are related, otherwise I'd never be able to read them. It's like the movie Sahara -- an enjoyable movie, relatively related to the book, but as someone who has read all of Clive Cussler's books, I just cannot accept Matthew McConaughey as Dirk Pitt, or Steve Zahn as Al Giordano. Just wrong physically.

Well, anyway, just a brief shot of what has gone thru my mind recently. More to come soon.

Robin's Nesting Spot

I Hate Zombie Dreams!

NT - Scholar (Green)

Reading Signs

I am Persephone

You are Persephone!

The Exotic Lover

The Chakra Test

The Visionary

What Color Green Am I?

Diet Update

I am Rain

Missy Higgins -- Where I Stood

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus

Wednesday Weirdness #34

I think I'm losing it

iGoogle

Just for the record...

Back to the Gym

Testing...

Rain, Rain, Go Away....

Crazy life

The Trouble with Charlie

OMG! I am such a retard!

Happy 4th of July!!

Stuck in my head

Nature's Beauty

#@*#$#@^$*@#$^ TAXES!!!!!

Pancreatic cancer

What's going on

Today, Today, Today

Here's my day

Been a month

Positive comments

Survived the Holidays

Merry Christmas

Gerard Butler

Holiday Favorites -- More Fun

Holiday Favorites -- Fun & Silly

Holiday Favorites -- from Love Actually

Answers to the Quiz

Test Your Smarts

Back at it

Where'd October Go?

Too Tired

You Must Watch This

Friendly Reminder...

Still Going Strong

3 days

Sore and tired

I'm trying

Physical follow up

Mom's Overture

Teenagers!!

Dreams -- the Good, the Bad, the Bizarre

The Everything Test

The Everything Test

Feel like ...

Scary Friday

A Start

#@#$#@^$@#$^ TAXES!!!!!